Valencia’s Annis Does It All in Victory Over Villa Park

Jason Annis threw two long touchdown passes and connected on two field goals, leading host Valencia to a 20-7 nonleague victory over Villa Park Friday night.

“He played a complete game,” said Valencia Coach Mike Marrujo of his quarterback/kicker. “Obviously that touchdown was not the way it was designed, but we’ll take it.”

The play Marrujo was referring to was the tiebreaking touchdown pass with 1:24 left in the second quarter. Annis fired a pass intended for Marquis Johnson at the 10. Trapped by two defenders, the 6-foot-3 receiver managed to tip the ball. Dave Johnson, who was a few steps behind, grabbed the ball and completed the touchdown, a play covering 41 yards.

“We will definitely take it,” Marrujo said.

Valencia tied the game, 7-7, with 10:49 left in the second quarter when Annis hit Marquis Johnson for a 48-yard touchdown pass.

Giovanni Alverez-Mena gave the Tigers another opportunity to score with 38 seconds left in the first half, intercepting a pass and returning it 15 yards to the Villa Park 47. Annis hit Marquis Johnson with passes of 19 and nine yards and Donald Morris ran for seven, setting up Annis’ 28-yard field goal with one second left.

On its first drive of the game, Villa Park covered 88 yards in 15 plays, taking a 7-0 lead on Dache Dameron’s three-yard run.

Dameron totaled 59 yards in eight carries during the drive, and finished the game with 130 yards in 24 carries.

Valencia increased its lead to 20-7 in he third quarter when Annis hit a 44-yard field goal. He finished with 14 completions in 25 attempts for 185 yards and had four kickoffs into the end zone. Marquis Johnson had five receptions for 89 yards.